A corpora



I. A. EDISON.

BATTERY TRAY. l I-PLICATION- FILED DEC.I3. 1915.

I 1,364,358. Patenwa- Jan. 4, 1921,l

mms mm. Tn: Y mm.. msnluawu n c UNITED STATES PATENT ]OrrifcE',n?l

THOMAS A. EDISON, orv LLEWELLYN PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOE To EDISON A STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY. 0F WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, .A CORPORA.-

TION 0F NEW JERSEY.

` To all u2/tom t may concern.'

vwhich the following is a description.

My invention relates to an improved tray for supporting and securely holding together a group of battery cells, and to the combination of such a tray and any number of such battery cells supported thereby. By the use of my improved tray the assembling and handling of the cells are facilitated, and batteries of any desired number of such groups of cells may be conveniently made up of a number of vsuch trays with their contained cells. Although my tray is designed particularly for use with storage battery cells of the Edison type, wherein an alkaline electrolyte is employed and the electrolyte and battery elements are contained in a metallic receptacle or containing can, it is to y n y erably composed of thinfstiff nickel-plated be understood that`thesa1ne may be effectively utilized with other types ofk battery cells.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a tray, preferably of metal, which shall be of great strength and durability and capable of withstanding great shocks and strains; and to provide an improved construction whereby the Vcells are rigidly held in the tray against all movement with respect thereto,l and whereby the individual cells are spaced from and kept out of contact with the body of the tray and with each other, and are guarded from contact with other conducting bodies.

My invention also consists in a'tray of simple constructioinwherein the cells may be easily and quickly assembled with adequate spaces for ventilation and cooling provided on all sides of the cells, and in an arrangement whereby short circuiting of any of the cells by moisture-or other matter which may be presentr from any cause,v is prevented. i

Other objects and fea-tures of my invention will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a clearer understanding of my invention, attention is directed tothe drawing accompanying and formingl part `of this BATTERY-TRAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

views to designate like parts, and in which :l

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.-# Application filed December 1,3, 1915. y Serial No. 66,481. -r n Figure l 1s a'view inside elevation 0f a f therein in accordance withiny invention;

structure'shown yin Fig. 1,.

Fig. is akplan View thereof; i

'battery tray with a group or' seriesof fourv f Edison storage` battery .cells supported 6o y Fig. 2-'is a view inend elevation yofthe tery cell` to and k insulatingthe vsa'mefromv f the bottom of the tray;

Fig. 5 is a similar j view f showing the meanslfor insulatincr the cells from` and maintaining the same ink spaced relation to the walls of the tray; and f y 6 is a similar `view of one yof the cpmposite members for lrigidly connecting the upper end portions of thecells together in j spaced relation.

My improved tray comprises a frame prefsheet steel. The bottom land yendwalls 2 ofthe tray are preferably formed of a single piece, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The end. walls 2are rigidly connected at each side of; "thetray by means oflower and upper hori-` fjzontalribbed strips 3 Land 4, the end.; portions of these strips beingfbent over andsecurely' fastened, as by means of rivets, to the, end walls 2. The lower side strips 3 arevconnected to the endwalls 2 a considerable distance above the bottom of thedtray.y At

eac i side of the tray the strips 3 and` tare braced to thereby stiffen strengthen they tray, by a pair of diagonal strips 5 yand* 6 suitablysecured to each other where they cross and to the Strips 3 and t at their ends,

as by spot welding. The bottom 1 of the Zontallyas at 9 to stiften andstrengthen the same. f

The drawing illustrates aV group orr'series of four storage battery cells'of the `Edison type,having the usual metallic containing cans or receptacleslO, disposed side by side in. spaced relation in the' tray.' The bottom top respectively.

11 and top 12 of each battery can or con* tainer are welded to the sides of the container in such a manner as to provide flanges 13 and 14 extending beyond said bottom and The battery cells are so arranged' that the poles thereof at each side of the group are alternately negative and positive. The cells are rigidly secured to- Y gether in spaced relation at their upper ends and electrically connected in series by means of a pair of parallel horizontal composite members, which are securely fastened at the sides of the group of cells to the poles 15 and 16 thereof, as by means of nuts 17. Each 15 of these composite members comprises a plurality of flat heavy metallic bars 18 and a member or members 19 of suitable insulating material, preferably porcelain. Bars 18 ofeach of these composite members are 20 provided at each pair of their adjacent ends with upstanding lugs or flanges 20 between which the insulating members are disposed7 the lugs 2Ov being secured to such members, as byv screws 21. Pieces .22 of soft rubber,

`25. or other cushioning material, arel respec tively disposed betweenthe'flangesxor lugs ,.20 andthe .mem-bers.19.- 4The bars---18 are provided with` holes 23 `receiving 'the poles T 15..and ..16,.these.:holes preferably ybeing '30 punched in the bars soasto yform -downlwardly proj ectingflanges2t labout theholes, as showni.nFig.-.1-. The flanges 24 respec- ..tively bear` on. insulating nuts,I 25 which are threaded on the poles 15 and -16 into/tight 5, engagement. with.- the A tops 1'2 of the -battery @aus loi-tand 'serve'tom'aintain .the composite members, comprising'the bars 18 land insulating members y19,. in'spacedrelation to xthebattery cans, as clearly shown in Figs. -1 '1andr2. vAs the' .cells Aare electrically connectedinseries by the composite members,r the ,bars- 18 and insulatingumembers'l) vofthe latter aty the opposite sidesofthe group of ya cells willbein staggered relation,vasshown winrigaimd f 'EachI of he .c cells` is ilsupported v from the bottom of the tray in spaced relation thereto, l,preferably by'a `pair of-.members orblocls y .26 eformed-of 'insulating material,y sucha's :porcelain,fwhich,as shown-in Fig. 3, are

Hdisposed one .on either side of 4the' central l'upstandingribor projection 7 of said botltom. Asshown in Figft, each ofthe blocks v26comprses a body formed vof anupper 55,portion`f27 Aand 1a lower portion-28 having ,substantiallyalined lexterior surfaces, andy Va jpetticoat portion 29 rfextendingvlaterally V.from said-"bodyfbetwe'enthe portions 27 'and aff: s.28 .anddisposedwholly beyond the'latter. Consequently the petticoat portions -29-of the-blocks v26- will-.be subjected to none of the weight vof the-cellsf-or the strains imposed on .the blo cks by` Ythe tray and cells, and the `aliabilityfof breaking such'fpetticoat portions "yirseftlicrefore .reduced t6 afmnmm The bottoms 11 of the cells are provided with plates 30 suitably secured thereto, as by spot welding. Each of the plates 30 has a screw 31 suitably secured thereto, with the threaded shank of the screw depending from the plate. The insulating blocks 26 are threaded on the shanks of screwsV 31 and thereby securely fastened to the bottoms of the cells 10. Each of the blocks 26 is also rigidly secured to the bottom l of the tray by means of a screw 32 threaded into the portion 28 thereof. The bottom of the tray is provided with an opening for each of the screws 32, and a struckup inwardly inclined flange 33 surrounding such opening and forming a seat for the head of the screw. Each of the blocks 26 is also provided at its lower end and about the opening for the screw 32, with an inclined seat for the corresponding flange 33? A ring or washer 34 of cushioning material, such as soft rubber, is disposed between each block 26 and the -bottom. of the tray and surrounds the corresponding flange 33. By the construction just described, the cells are rigidly secured to the bottom of the.-tray-inrsuchuav `manner.` that vertical -movementofthe cells .in the tray.. andlateral; movement-of thelowerend portions of the Y cells-with respect `to the Itraywillbe prexvented. Also, the lateralstrainsimposed A.on the blocks 26`-arelargely communicated r`'to .and .takenv up. uby V thev flanges. 33 .of 'the' bottom 1 of .theu .tray,.and-accordingly the danger ofv breaking.` thesel blocks "isy materiallylessened; As clearlyshowninthe 'drawing,.the arrangement of blocks 26 with Y respect to the `tray is'such-thatrthe-cells will y be held in -the tray properly spaced from end wall 2 of thetray is-'formed with an `outwardly curved-,portion I36 at 'its upper end', vand a .pair vof Ispaced vertical members Yfprovided with portionsfitting th'ecurve'd portion 86, are rigidlysecured, asfby means of rivetsBS, to'each'of said en'd walls 2'at -the innersurfa'ce thereof, as-shown=inl1`ig yflhelmembers 37 areffprovide'd with cy- 'vlindrical -port1ons 39 extending upwardly beyond the end walls 2 of the tray: v Substantially 'cylindrical blocks ormembers 40 of insulating'material, 'such as Aporcelain', are

respectively adjustably connected Vto the' upf perend portions ofmembers v37',v as byv lbeing threaded thereon'.- vEach block 40 is formed at its -ilowerf end with a petticoat -portion 41 providing an annular space 42 between the lower end portion of theblock and the corresponding member 37, and a, laterally extending sustantially rectangular portion 48 above said petticoat portion. The portions 43 of the pair of blocks 40 at each end of the tray, closely engage the opposite sides of the bracket 35 on the adjacentvbattery can l0 and the wall of such can on either side of said bracket, and coperate with the composite members consisting of bars 18 and members 19, to maintain the upper portions of the cells properly spaced from the tray and to prevent all lateral movement thereof relative to the tray. The blocks 40 are adjusted to such a position .on members 37 that they will engage the metallic r containers l0 of the end cells directly opposite or in alindment with the top walls l2 thereof, and

consequently the liability of bending for` buckling the sides of the containers when the cells tend to move endwise or sidewise of the tray, will be materially lessened:

Each of the end walls. 2 of the tray isprovided with a'suitable handle 50 to `facilitate thle handling yof the tray and its contained ce ls. v

With the construction described herein, it will be seen that the cells are properly insulated and spaced from the tray at.all points, and that each of the insulating inembers which are employed or'this purpose, ,is

provided with means, illustrated herein ,as

a petticoat portion, for preventing .liquid which may accumulatein or on the tra-y or on the cells from creeping across said members and bridging the spaces between the tray and cells, and thereby the short circuiting` of thev latter. Moreover, due to ,the frameflike construction of the sides of the tray andthe spacing of the cells from the bottom and walls of the tray and fromeach other, eliicient ventilation and cooling of the cells are insured. The construction described herein is also very kstrong `and durabler and is capable of standing extremely rough usage without substantial injury thereto.

The. particular embodiment specifically described herein is merely illustrativeof my invention, it being understood that suchA embodimentis subject to various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit "ofmyinvention and the scope of thev appended claims.

l. The combination with al battery cell`of a tray in which said cell is disposed, and' means for rigidly 'maintaining thel cell in spaced relation to the tray comprising. a petticoat insulating member directly `vand 4rigidly attached both to the tray and to the. celll whereby upward movement of the cell iI'l j ythe tray the trayy isfprevented, substantially j as'described.

towhereby upward movement of the cell in scribed. l j y i The combination with a battery cell, of

lis prevented, substantially as de-y vor a 'tray thereforfhaving a bottom and end insulatinglmenibers rigidly and directly attached tojsaidfI bottom andy end` wallsfior `"maintaining ther cellin spaced relation to said bottom andend walls, one or'more of walls, and vfmeanscomprising a plurality of n said membersalsobeing rigidly `and directly *s x attached to the cell, whereby `upward movement of the cell in kthe trayfis prevented,

ksubstantially. as 'described'.

fl. The combination witha battery cell, of

a tray ory container therefor, and an insulatjingI memberdirectly and rigidly attached bothl to the bottornofithe tray and to the cell, whereby upward movement of thecellf in the tray is'prevented, substantiallyrlas ydej scribed.` 4 l A tray or containery for battery 4cells n `provided withmeans for maintaining a battery cell therein'spaced yfroingthe bottom thereof, said bottom being provided intermediate its sider edges ywith allongitudinally and upwardly extending l portion adapted to cause liquidwhichmay'accumulate on the :bottom of theitrayftQllOw therefrom, substantially asy described-=fy 6. In atrayy for battery cells, means'fjor holding a celllin the tray in spaced rela-tion thereto, comprising l an insulating member adapted wengagethe @eiland aajusabiy y f roor securedtojthetray, substantially'y as"k de'-, i

scribed. j v 7.L In a tray for batterycells, means for preventing lateral movement `of* a cell have ing a projection andjldisposed in the tray, comprising a pair of spaced insulating members secured vtothe trayandadapted to engage the kcelland the ,opposite sides `oi such y projection, substantially as described.

' 8. The combination `fw'itha series ofybats tery cellsrigidly securedtogether in spaced relation at their upper end`s,of `la tray for said cellsl havinga bottom andfendlwalls,

means orfrigidly `securing thecells directly to the bottom of the tray .inspaced relation thereto, and insulating means'y 'secured to the end walls oi theftrayand engagingthe up.-y

per portions of therespective end, cells of the series of cells'` to vprevent relative lateral movement' of the series of cells and the tray, substantiallyasdescribed; f

9. In combination, a` series of' cells, means rigidly securing .the cells together in spaced 10. In combination, a series of cells rigidly secured together in spaced relation at theirr upper ends, a tray containing said series of cells, and means for preventing` relative movement of said tray and cells, comprising an insulating member secured to each end of the tray and engaging a Wall of the adjacent end cell of the series of cells at a point substantially in alinement with the horizontal top Wall of said cell, substantially as described.

11. In combination, a 'series of cells rigidly connected together in spaced rela-- tion-,at their upper ends, a tray containing said series of cells, each end cell of such series being provided on an outer-Wall viii-l1 a projection, and a pair of insulating members, rigidlyjsecured .toeach Yendof the tray cent end cell andthe opposite sides vgif/:the plietif 11` thereon.:substantially. as 1del2. Ina trayior `storage hatterycells, a cell supporting member mounted'on the bot- .tom ot thetray and adapted tojbesecured .thereto by a :headed llfelllber, Said bottom .being providedL with ,aaeopenng and., Said Ycell supporting ,member Iv vitha recess for such headedr member ,said bottom having an upwardly extending iian'gedf portion snrrounding ,said opening and adaptedtoform .a seat vfor the head of said headed member,

and said cell supporting niembex kann@ L .Seat about therecessL therein with whieh Said anged portion' closely engages, Substaln .tially,as described.l v

13;- 111( .cmbinatiem .a .1,if1e11.=111.i tray, a Seresof i battery @6115.. dspeed.ther,e11 means l'lior ,rigidly A secu I ing said cells toeether in,Spasedrelatonat .the upper ends thereof, means/ forf` insulating said Y'cells securing the'fcellsY at their lo vver 'end`s to said f .tially asfdescrbed. E.

14. ,A trayfoi battery-$115 La vingbeftom-and @Ind Wallsofsheetmeal andbbed shet metal. side pices iconnetrfls and-- of sheet metal, said end Walls being ribbed to stiffen and strengthen the same, substantially as described.

16. A tray for battery cells having a bottom and end Walls formed of a single piece of sheet metal, and sheet metal pieces or strips connecting said end Walls at the sides of the tray, substantially as described.

17. A tray for battery cells having a bottom and end walls of sheet metal, a pair of spaced sheet metal side strips or pieces at each side of the tray connecting said end Walls, and a diagonal sheet metal brace connecting each pair of said side strips, sublstantially as described.

18. A tray for battery cells having a bottom and end Walls of sheet metal, a pair of spaced sheet metal side strips or pieces at each sideof the tray connecting said end Walls, and a pair of diagonal .sheet metal braces connecting each pair of said side strips, each pair of said braces being rigidly secured together Where they cross, substantially as described. Y

19. A tray :for battery vcells having a bottemffamedlof sheet 1r-,etat Sadhottem beine provided with an upwardly extending proisctlen termed., -inteerallyhervth ,and @X- tedille. leiigtiidifallrthereof. intermediate ltS Sider/dees; substaatallyas described Y Atraylilor battery cellshaving a meinlator a djustalily mountedn on said n iember '..21 Ail.. a'elatneieeeber fO'r- 'ianfir ine abatir/,Ly celln Space@ relation t0. a tray oi c ontainer there/forVcomprising a body Aportion provided ivith. a petticoat depending 22. An insul ting emb .afar maar ieg, a battery.- sel. n-"Spad' relation t0 a fray .Qra Container therefr, feomplsig. a body portion provided with a .petticoat .de-

pendingfhereffemlaelfvthl laterally e tending Podien aber@ .theY Pftfeet., Said laterally. extending portion having a: 'pair fof.eraafaeaa aimee to' veahf fhe1- respectivelyladaptednto. engage the Wall ,of

acellfand aprojectio'n secured4 vto saidfwall, substantially as described. i' f insulating Amember for maintain- 'battey'cell'in spacedrelatioii 'to' a tray or container'v therefor, comprising a'fbody ,portion having a. threadedsocl'ret and provi ded ypetticeat.l depending" therefrom. and .With'a laterally extending/portion above the petticoat, said lat'erallyf'xten'ding portion having'a"straight'edge v'adal'ited to'enfgage the f'rvallfotfthf cell, substantially fas 24. A device :for securing together the poles of a series of battery cells comprising a member having openings for the reception of poles of such cells, said member being provided with flanges extending therefrom about said openings for maintaining the member in spaced relation to the tops of the cells when the same is applied to the poles, substantially as described.

25. The combination of a series of battery cells having poles extending through the tops thereof, means Jfor securing said cells together comprising a member having openings through which poles of the cell respectively extend, an insulator mounted on each such pole between said member and the top of the respective cell, said member being provided with downwardly extending flanges about said openings, and devices on the portions of the poles which extend through and above said member for securing the latter in a position in which the lianges thereof tightly engage the respective insulators mounted on said poles, substantially as described.

26. A composite member for securing poles of a series of battery cells together,

comprising a pair of conducting bars', each havingv one or more openings for the reception of said poles, and an insulatordisposed between and rigidly secured to theadjacent ends of said bars, substantially as described.

27. A composite member for securing tween each end of each insulator and the corresponding upstanding portion, and means for removably and rigidlyy securing together each pair of adjacent upstanding` portions and the insulator therebetween, substantially as described.

This specificatlon signed and witnessed this 8th day of December, 1915.

o THos. A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. HARDY, Fnmmnlox BAOHMANN. 

